Protecting Communities in Goma and Idjwi, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Every Hour Matters

Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is once again confronting a deadly Ebola outbreak. While the outbreak is currently concentrated in Ituri Province, the risk extends well beyond the epicenter. The movement of people between provinces, cross-border trade, population displacement, and fragile health systems create ideal conditions for the virus to spread rapidly into neighboring communities, including Goma, Idjwi Island, and Bukavu.

For communities already facing conflict, displacement, poverty, and limited access to healthcare, another Ebola outbreak threatens not only lives but also livelihoods, education, food security, and community stability.

History has shown that Ebola cannot be stopped by medical treatment alone. It is stopped when communities are informed, prepared, and empowered to act early.

Today, that window of opportunity is still open, but it is closing quickly.

Our Emergency Response

Through its Health for Peace Program, Congo Peace Academy has launched an emergency Ebola Prevention, Community Protection, and Rapid Awareness Campaign to reduce the risk of transmission before the outbreak reaches more vulnerable communities.

This is not a planned intervention. It is an active emergency response already underway. Our teams are working every day across Goma and Idjwi to strengthen community preparedness through trusted health education, risk communication, and grassroots mobilization.

Working alongside local authorities, health professionals, religious leaders, schools, women's associations, youth groups, and community health workers, we are helping communities become the first line of defense against Ebola.

Our ongoing activities include:

• Community awareness and Ebola prevention sessions.

• Training and deployment of community health workers and local volunteers.

• Household outreach in vulnerable and underserved communities.

• Distribution of handwashing and sanitation kits.

• Promotion of early symptom recognition and rapid reporting.

• Countering misinformation, fear, and stigma through trusted local communication.

• Strengthening community surveillance and referral pathways.

Every community reached today is another community better prepared to prevent tomorrow's infections.

These risks are particularly high in eastern DRC, where many communities continue to experience humanitarian crises, displacement, and limited access to health services. Without immediate investment in prevention, outbreaks become exponentially more difficult and more expensive to contain.

Community awareness is not an optional activity. It is one of the most cost-effective lifesaving interventions available during an Ebola outbreak.

Why Our Approach Works

Congo Peace Academy believes that communities are not passive beneficiaries; they are the first responders. Our Health for Peace model empowers trusted local leaders to become champions of public health, ensuring that prevention messages reach households quickly and are delivered by people communities already know and trust.

Our approach combines four essential elements:

• Rapid Response

Our locally based teams can immediately deploy to high-risk communities without waiting for external surge capacity.

• Trusted Community Leadership

We work through respected local leaders, teachers, faith leaders, youth representatives, women's organizations, and community health workers who have established credibility within their communities.

• Locally Adapted Communication

Health messages are delivered in local languages and adapted to cultural realities, increasing understanding and encouraging lasting behavior change.

• From Information to Action

We do more than raise awareness. We help families adopt practical behaviors that reduce transmission, including proper hand hygiene, early recognition of symptoms, safe care-seeking, and timely reporting of suspected cases.

In every Ebola response, trust is as important as medicine. Communities that trust the information they receive are far more likely to protect themselves and cooperate with public health efforts.

Urgent Funding Need

The need is growing faster than available resources. Additional support will enable us to expand our emergency response by:

• Deploying additional community facilitators in high-risk communities.

• Training and equipping more community health workers and volunteers.

• Producing locally adapted educational materials, posters, leaflets, radio messages, and community learning tools.

• Expanding the distribution of handwashing and sanitation kits.

• Supporting transportation, protective equipment, and safe field operations.

• Strengthening community surveillance and referral systems.

• Reaching isolated and underserved communities before Ebola does.

Every dollar invested in prevention reduces the human and financial cost of responding to future infections.